1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic apparatuses and methods of charging remote control devices. In particular, the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus including an electronic apparatus main body and a remote control device for controlling the electronic apparatus main body via wireless communication, and to a method of charging the remote control device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, classes or presentations are more and more frequently conducted using a projector. In a typical class or presentation setup, the projector main body is positioned opposite a screen, with an operator standing beside the screen making comments or remarks. This means that the apparatus main body is usually located away from the operator, resulting in the need to use a remote control device (which may be referred to as a “remote controller”).
Some of the latest remote controllers are equipped with a laser pointer. The method of communications between the remote controller and the apparatus main body is transitioning from infrared communications to radio communications. As a result, power consumption by the remote controller is increasing, when there is always the demand to reduce power consumption. The dry cells as the power supply for the remote controller are also increasingly being supplanted by rechargeable cells.
Projectors generate large amounts of heat from their light sources. In conventional projectors, such emitted heat has been dissipated to the outside. Desirably, such wasted heat should be utilized for some purpose from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-312991 discloses a thermal generation apparatus for effectively utilizing the heat generated by a lamp by converting it into electric power. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2007-42895 proposes a thermoelectric conversion apparatus for converting heat generated by a terminal device, such as a cellular phone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a remote controller, a notebook personal computer, or a projector, into electricity for efficient utilization of the heat. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 02-216692 discloses a video tape recorder (VTR) in which a VTR remote controller is adapted to be housed within a container portion of the apparatus main body in order to charge the remote controller with electric power supplied from an apparatus main body power supply.
However, no matter how efficiently such exhaust heat is utilized, not much electric power can be expected. For example, it is impossible to directly drive a projector with electric power generated from the exhaust heat. Thus, a method capable of effectively utilizing exhaust heat is desirable.
In the aforementioned Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No. 2004-312991 and No. 2007-42895, although the heat generated by the terminal device, such as a cellular phone, a PDA, a remote controller, a notebook personal computer, or a projector, is converted into electric power and used by each terminal device, the methods of utilization are not very effective.
The aforementioned Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 02-216692 merely teaches putting the remote controller in the container portion of the apparatus main body in order to charge the controller, and does not contribute to reducing electric power consumption.